Whole garment computerized flat knitting machine is a new technology that knits an entire three-dimensional garment in one production step without the need for sewing. It is believed to be an innovative and cost effective process. However, there are many challenges facing the industry to make this technology successful and practical for mass-production.

The concept of 3D-knitted fabric has been around for some time, but it has never gained significant traction in the textile industry due to difficulties and costs associated with yarn feed systems, stitch formations, needle selection and control, and knit structure design. The most recent technological contributions to this concept, in combination with knitting’s inherent characteristics of stretch and compression, have offered a number of opportunities for the industry.

Among these is the potential for 3D-knitted fabric to become a major alternative to the woven textile product in various applications in the apparel and industrial sector. For example, the fabric can be shaped into preforms for shoes, automobile and aeronautical textiles. Moreover, the fabrication of fabrics from technical yarns that were formerly considered to be incompatible with knitting, such as carbon fiber, monofilament and metallic, has also been explored with great interest.


The first steps towards the production of a complete garment on flat knitwear machines were made in the 1800s when sinkers were introduced to knit flat fabrics with a shape by inserting them in the fabric before knitting. This method, known as flechage, improved drape and fit while reducing production cost.

In the 1970s and 1980s, new developments in computer graphic design and flat knit machine technology led to major advances, including a shift from punch tape electronic control to punched yarn electronic control on flat bed electronic machines. This enabled the introduction of the knitwear industry’s first jacquard-type flat knitting machines, as well as a series of innovations in tubular-type knitwear, such as the Shima Seiki glove knitting machine and the Protti PDE.

In 1995, the next advancement in flat knitwear was the invention of a new machine that could produce an entire garment as part of the manufacturing process called Whole garment knitting. These machines, which are now widely available, were the first of their kind to offer an opportunity for a seamless, three-dimensional complete garment without the need for sewing.